Vol. 548 No. 5
274 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a speech therapist has not been made available to a person (details supplied) in County Meath; if funding will be made available for the appointment of a therapist through the health board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5587/02]
Additional funding has been made available annually in recent years to the health boards, including the North-Eastern Health Board in respect of the provision of health related support services for children with an intellectual disability and those with autism. In addition to this ringfenced funding, children with disabilities would also have benefited from the additional therapy posts which have been put in place in services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities. However, many health boards and specialist service providers have been experiencing difficulties in recruiting allied health professionals and specifically speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. This is due primarily to the general shortage of available staff in these grades nationally.
Health boards and agencies have been and are continuing to undertake intensive recruitment drives at home and abroad. My Department has asked the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to explore other approaches which might result in the maintenance of an existing level of service provision or an enhancement in line with agreed service developments using the resources allocated to the services. My Department is also undertaking a number of short, medium and longer term measures to increase the availability of trained staff in these areas.
Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism in the Meath area is a matter in the first instance for the North-Eastern Health Board. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.
275 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are a number of children in the special care unit in Athlumney, Navan, County Meath, who require speech therapy; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that if a speech therapist is not provided to a person (details supplied) in County Meath, this person will fall into the lowest category and will need intensive care and therapy in the future; if he will approve funding for the therapist required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5588/02]
Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism in the Meath area rests with the North-Eastern Health Board. Additional funding has been made available annually in recent years to the health boards, including the North-Eastern Health Board in respect of the provision of health related support services for children with an intellectual disability and those with autism. In addition to this ringfenced funding, children with disabilities would also have benefited from the additional therapy posts which have been put in place in services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities. However many health boards and specialist service providers have been experiencing difficulties in recruiting allied health professionals and specifically speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiothera pists and psychologists. This is due primarily to the general shortage of available staff in these grades nationally. Health boards and agencies have been and are continuing to undertake intensive recruitment drives at home and abroad. My Department has asked the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to explore other approaches which might result in the maintenance of an existing level of service provision or an enhancement in line with agreed service developments using the resources allocated to the services. My Department is also undertaking a number of short, medium and longer term measures to increase the availability of trained staff in these areas.
I understand from the board that in 2000, specialist training was provided for staff in the unit in question to assist them to develop the communication skills of the children. In 2001, it was agreed that a full time temporary post of speech and language therapist would be assigned to the unit, to work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team involved with the children. This post was advertised but the board has not been successful in recruiting anyone. The board has however been successful in recruiting a senior speech and language therapist to a training post in the disability services and plans to provide continued staff training to the special care unit and to implement a training programme for parents of young children attending this service in autumn 2002.
My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to reply to the Deputy in relation to the question of specific services for the child in question.
